Sex Prediction Using Finger, Hand and Foot Measurements for Forensic Identification in a Nigerian Population

Abstract

In forensics, the identification of recovered human remains is important and of great significance. Sex determination is the most important primary parameter in human identification. We investigated the predictive role of the anthropometric measurements of hand, finger and foot dimensions in sex determination. The main objective was to correlate sexual dimorphism with hand, finger and foot dimensions and determine their sectioning point(s) and also ascertain the variables which can better predict sex. A cross sectional study was carried out using 200 students from Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Nigeria aged 16-30 years. The collected data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23. The average hand length, breadth and index were found to be 17.44mm, 8.09mm and 0.3781mm greater in male compared to the female subjects respectively, with no significant (p<0.05) difference between the right and left hand in the same sex. The resultant hand index suggests the females have higher dolichocheir morphology compared to males and no hyperbrachycheir morphology. The cutoff point index for the right (≤43.41mm) and left (≤42.90mm) hand is suggestive of female, but is suggestive of male if the right hand is >43.41mm and left hand is >42.90mm. A foot index section points for the right (347.9mm) and left (349.4mm) foot was taken for male and female foot identification. A cut of point of 348.7mm was obtained to define sexual dimorphism of the foot index. There was strong correlation between foot dimensions of both feet for the same sex (p<0.01) while the foot dimensions of the male and the female were significantly (p<0.05) different. The hand (length and breadth), index/ring fingers ratio, foot (length and breadth) and ankle breadth are therefore important indices and forensic identification tool for predicting sexual dimorphism and identifying human remains for medicolegal examinations.